1. Field of the Invention
A device for enhancing the efficiency of a heat exchange or refrigeration system is disclosed. The invention relates to a modified and improved refrigerant recycling heat exchange system or a retrofit alteration to an existing heat exchange system that enhances the system""s efficiency by slightly cooling and thereby liquefying a portion of the hot gas refrigerant prior to the main condenser. More particularly, the subject efficiency enhancing system is a xe2x80x9cparallel-flow desuperheaterxe2x80x9d that comprises a secondary hot line that removes some of the hot gas refrigerant in the main hot refrigerant gas line and carries it to a xe2x80x9cdesuperheaterxe2x80x9d condenser that produces cool liquid refrigerant that is returned, via siphon action, back into the main hot refrigerant gas in a mixing vessel to generate a cooled saturated vapor, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system by requiring less energy to compress the resulting refrigerant.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various devices relying oh standard refrigerant recycling technologies have been available for many years. Refrigeration and heat exchange devices, having both cooling and heating capabilities, are included within the general scheme of the subject invention, however, the subject device relates preferably to refrigeration systems. Within the limits of each associated design specification, heat exchange devices enable a user to cool or heat a selected environment or with a refrigeration unit to cool a desired location. For these heating and cooling duties, in general, gases or liquids are compressed, expanded, heated, or cooled within an essentially closed system to produce a desired temperature result in the selected environment.
Traditional sub-coolers partially cool the refrigerant prior to the expansion device and subsequent evaporator. Such refrigerant cooling has been shown to increase the efficiency of the heat transfer within the evaporator. Various types of sub-coolers exist, but the most common form cools the refrigerant by drawing in cooler liquid to surround the warmer refrigerant.
The foregoing information reflects the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and is tendered with the view toward discharging applicant""s acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully submitted, however, that this information does not teach or render obvious applicants"" claimed invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device for increasing the efficiency of a heat exchange system and in particular a refrigeration system.
Another object of the present invention is to disclose a device that cools a portion of the hot refrigerant that exits the compressor in a refrigeration system and then mixes the cooled portion with the non-cooled portion and transfers the mixture to the main condenser, thereby increasing efficiency.
A further object of the present invention is to relate a efficiency enhancing device that may be added to an existing heat exchange system or fabricated into the heat exchange system during its initial construction.
Still another object of the present invention is to supply a device that increases efficiency of a standard heat exchange system by utilizing a secondary condenser and mixing vessel, wherein a portion of the hot refrigerant is withdrawn after the compressor and cooled and then mixed with the non-cooled portion by a siphoning action just before passage into the primary condenser.
Disclosed for use with a heat exchange or refrigeration system having a compressor, condenser, evaporator, refrigerant, and refrigerant carrying lines, is an efficiency enhancing apparatus. The subject apparatus comprises a refrigerant cooling module positioned in the heat exchange system between the compressor and the condenser. The refrigerant cooling module comprises a secondary condenser that draws and cools a portion of the refrigerant from a main refrigerant carrying line exiting the compressor, thereby leaving a remaining portion of non-cooled refrigerant in the main refrigerant carrying line. Following the secondary condenser is a refrigerant siphoning and mixing vessel having means for receiving both the drawn and cooled portion of the refrigerant and the non-cooled portion of the refrigerant and a refrigerant exit port leading from the mixing vessel to the condenser for carrying the mixed refrigerant. Specifically, the refrigerant receiving means in the refrigerant mixing vessel comprises a first refrigerant inlet port for receiving the drawn and cooled portion of the refrigerant and a second refrigerant inlet port for receiving the non-cooled portion of the refrigerant. More specifically, the-refrigerant siphoning and mixing vessel comprises a central container having first and second ends, the first refrigerant inlet port for receiving the drawn and cooled portion of in the refrigerant positioned proximate the container first end, the second refrigerant inlet port for receiving the non-cooled portion is of the refrigerant positioned proximate the container first end, and the refrigerant exit port positioned proximate the container second end. Usually included are means for contacting surrounding air with the refrigerant cooling module. Primarily, the means for contacting surrounding air is either an existing fan already found in the existing system or an additional fan.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows, when considered in conjunction with the associated drawings.